1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to a multi-purpose timer, and more particularly to a timer mechanism which is attached to a clock to be assembled in a radio set or the like so as to control opening and closing of the power switch of the radio set or the like and to operate a buzzer assembled in the clock.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Heretofore, a variety of timers such as a 24-hour timer which can open or close the switch at the desired time during the period of 24 hours and a timer with which either a "sleep" or "snooze" mechanism is combined is known in the art. In this specification, The "sleep" mechanism is defined as a mechanism that enables the switch to open after a certain specified period of time from the moment the switch was closed by manual operation and "sleep" operation is simply defined as operation caused by the "sleep" mechanism. Similarly, the "snooze" mechanism is defined as a mechanism that enables the buzzer to operate again after the predetermined time interval from the moment the operation of the buzzer was once stopped by manual operation of the user. "Snooze" operation is simply defined as operation caused by the "snooze" mechanism.
However, there has been no such timer as one which provides both the sleep and snooze mechanisms in addition to the timer being of the 24-hour type. Because the 24-hour timer with the conventional sleep and snooze mechanisms is not desirable as a timer to be built in the radio set or the like, and since assembling the conventional sleep and snooze mechanisms in the 24-hour timer would make the whole mechanism of the timer extremely complex and large, the cost of the timer could not help being expensive. Furthermore, the conventional timer which provides the "sleep" mechanism needs another switch for performing the "sleep" operation in addition to a switch assembled in the timer, and the cost of the switch is very expensive in comparison with the other parts of the timer.